Frozen Boy
by FrostyPines
Summary: Meet Jack Overland, your average teen in the 21st century. Until he's not... Transformed and forgotten, Jack Frost now struggles to find his place in a world he still remembers, where is own sister has forgotten him. (Rise of the Guardians AU, minor use of other characters)
1. Chapter 1

"Jackson Overland! Get down here this instant!"

Jack sighed. He started climbing down from his favorite treetop branch.

"Jack, where's Emma?" his mother asked.

"Probably inside playing. Why?"

"You were supposed to be watching her!"

Jack cringed. He knew his mom was touchy about his responsibility. But Emma was fine, she always was. "She's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"Jack, if anything were to happen to her-" his mom broke off and took a deep breath. "Look, since your father left, I've been having a hard time. I need you to help me. Emma usually is fine, but if she gets hurt and you aren't there, I don't know what would happen to her."

"Sorry…" Jack was a little ashamed. He loved his sister, but sometimes he just needed to be alone.

"Just keep a closer watch on her when I'm gone, okay? Oh, and if you're going to climb trees, please wear some shoes."

Jack groaned. He hated shoes.

"Jack, bring me your laundry. And make sure I get that old sweatshirt!" his mom called down the stairs.

Jack rolled his eyes. He loved his old blue sweatshirt, and never took it off when he could avoid it. "Coming!" he called back.

"Jack! Come play with me!" Emma came running up to him, straight brown hair swinging. She had warm brown eyes like Jack, and a birthmark under her right eye.

"Just a sec, Emma. What do you want to play?" He heaved his laundry basket up the stairs.

"Can we go exploring?"

"Maybe. But I've got homework to do."

"How about hopscotch?"

"Okay." Jack smiled. Hopscotch was Emma's favorite game. He could always make time for that. "I'll meet you outside."

When their game was done, Jack started on his homework. It was a particularly frustrating biology assignment about reptiles. After the fourth eraser smudge, he called one of his best friends for help.

"Yo, Highland. Listen, did you finish the biology homework?" Highland was very smart, especially when it came to animals. He loved them. His pet bearded dragon, Toothless, (who actually did have teeth) sometimes seemed to compete with Jack for best friendship.

"Of course I finished it. Need some help?"

When the homework was done, Highland asked Jack if he wanted to hang out with him and Elsie, their other best friend. It had been a while since they'd done something together outside of school, so Jack was eager to go. He met up with the two of them in the park.

"Jack, how can you stand not wearing shoes? It's freezing out." Highland asked, his feet shrouded in large boots.

"It's not really that cold." Elsie said, "Not enough to bother me, anyway." Her long platinum blonde braid swayed a bit in the breeze.

It was, in fact, the middle of January. Snow covered the ground. Jack was currently sitting in a tree, his shoes thrown at the bottom. He'd had to wear shoes on his way over, there was only so much his feet could stand.

"You're never cold, Elsie." he laughed. She was wearing a blue long sleeved shirt and jeans. She was very pretty just now, Jack thought.

Highland was smothered in a huge brown coat that went well with his dark straight hair, and hid his scrawny-ness. He looked amused. He was giving Jack a look that said he knew what Jack was thinking. Jack turned away in embarrassment, hoping Elsie hadn't noticed. She was chuckling at something on her phone, and Highland came over to see.

Jack liked the outdoors. He wasn't a big fan of technology. He didn't mind it, but he didn't see much need for it either. He sighed.

Even with his two best friends, Jack felt a bit lonely. Sometimes he wondered if they would miss him if he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Jack was in the mood for an adventure.

"Hey, Emma! Want to go exploring?" he called.

"Yeah, just let me get my shoes!"

"Bring your skates!" he said. There were lots of lakes and ponds around here, they should be able to find a frozen one.

Emma squealed in excitement as she came down the stairs. "Are you finally going to teach me how to skate?"

"Of course!" Jack opened the back door and grabbed the staff he always brought when they went walking in the woods behind their house. It was long and hooked at the end, great for hiking (and a myriad of other fun stuff). Emma ran after him, skates swinging from her hand.

"Mom, we're going out!" Jack called.

"Be careful!" she said as Emma pulled at Jack's hand.

He laughed. "We will!" They always were.

As they strolled through the woods they joked and laughed. Jack loved moments like these. In the calm of nature, having fun with his sister.

Emma took off through the trees. "Bet'cha can't catch me!"

"Oh yeah?" Jack laughed, starting to chase after her. he darted off to the left and raced ahead without her knowing. he dived behind a bush and waited for her approaching footsteps. She was slowing down, looking over her shoulder to see if Jack was behind her. Jack suddenly jumped out with a little "Boo!"

Emma shrieked and fell back. She started laughing as Jack helped her up with a chuckle. "Gotcha." He grinned.

They went in through the woods, joking and laughing, until they found a nice big frozen lake. "Put on your skates, Emma!" Jack said, sliding stylishly onto the ice in bare feet. His tousled brown hair blew as he skidded to a stop and turned around. Emma was struggling to put on her skates. He walked carefully back over to her and helped her put the skates on, pulling his on at the same time. She clung to his sweatshirt as he helped her onto the ice.

"Push with one foot, then the other. Good! Now glide." Emma was a little nervous, but she knew Jack would help her. "Now I'm going to let go, but I want you to keep going." He slid a bit away from her, but close enough to keep her from falling.

"Woah!" Emma teetered, but regained her balance. "Hey, look!" She started skating on her own, wobbly but moving.

"Good!" Jack said, following her. suddenly there was a loud cracking noise. Jack slipped and stumbled backward away from Emma, who shrieked and stopped, almost falling. Jack turned back toward her and his eyes widened in fear. A crack was forming in the ice directly below Emma's feet.

"Emma!" he shouted. He tried to approach her but was wary of the ice cracking anymore. he tried to calm himself down so Emma wouldn't start panicking.

"Jack, I'm scared!" she said, looking at him desperately.

"I know, I know, but you're gonna be okay." he thought fast, taking off his skates so he could help her easily. "We're gonna have a little fun instead!" he tried to laugh, but it came out very nervously.

"No, we're not!" Emma said.

"Would I trick you?" Jack tried to reassure her.

"Yes, you always play tricks!" she was sounding more frightened. She was standing as still as possible, but her knees were wobbling.

"Well not this time." Jack said. He smiled a bit. "You wanna play a game? We're gonna play hopscotch! Like we play everyday." It was working, she was looking less scared. "It's as easy as one..." he took a step toward his fallen staff, and cringed as the ice cracked and moaned a bit. "Two..." he took another step, looking at Emma with as much confidence as he could muster. "Three!" He hopped onto solid ice and grabbed his staff.

"Now your turn. One..." Emma tried to take a step on her skates and gasped as the ice continued to crack. "Two..." she took another small, perilous step. "Three!" Jack reached his staff out and hooked it around Emma's waist, pulling her onto solid ice. She slid on her stomach to safety and looked over at Jack in relief. He laughed in exhilaration that his sister was all right.

Suddenly the ice collapsed beneath him and Jack fell backwards into the freezing water.

"Jack!" Emma called.

Everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma ran towards the hole in the ice, but was afraid of going too close. "Jack!" she called. She wondered when he would surface. "Jack?"

The water was becoming calmer, lapping gently against the ragged edges of the ice. She couldn't see down into the dark water. Fear started to grip her.

"Jack! Come up! Come back!" She knew he'd been down too long. She tore off her skates and ran to the staff Jack and dropped. She tried to angle it into the hole in the ice, but she couldn't get close enough without it starting to crack again.

"Jack!" She was crying now. "Jack..." She sobbed at the edge of the broken, unhearing ice.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack came to with Emma's name on his lips, and an overwhelming sense of fear. It was unbearably cold, perfectly dark. But then- then he saw the moon. It was so big and full, and so bright! It seemed to chase the darkness away. And he wasn't scared anymore. His body broke the surface of the ice and he gasped, realizing he hadn't been breathing before then. He rose into the air, staring at the moon. Then he came back to the surface of the ice, which had become solid below him. He looked around, wondering what had happened.

"Emma..." he picked his staff up off the ice. It seemed to glow under the moonlight. Wait, when had it become night? The last thing he remembered was saving Emma from falling into the lake. It had been afternoon then. Had he passed out?

He started walking back toward his house. Something felt weird. He wasn't wearing shoes, of course, but the snow no longer felt cold. Great. His feet had probably gone numb. And the wind felt like it was tugging at him, as if asking him to run with it. He shook himself. He couldn't daydream now, he had to make sure Emma had gotten home safe. Their mother was probably worried sick because Jack hadn't come home yet.

When he reached his house, he slipped in through the back door. No one was downstairs. He normally would have left his staff outside, but he didn't want to let go of it. He carried it over his shoulder as he went upstairs. It was quite late. He peeked into his mom's room and saw Emma snuggled up with her. The trauma of today probably had warranted a sleep with Mom, even though Emma was supposed to stay in her own bed.

Jack sighed in relief that Emma was okay and went back downstairs to get ready for bed. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. As soon as he looked in the mirror he stopped dead.

"What the-!" He almost shouted.

He wasn't himself. His hair was snow white. His eyes were a bright, cold blue. And his staff was definitely glowing. He leaned forward and touched the mirror. Then he touched his face. His skin seemed paler. He fingered a lock of his hair. It didn't feel any different, but it was definitely white. He pinched himself. Ow.

"This has to be a dream." He said to himself. Maybe he should just wait until he woke up. He climbed into bed without changing out of his blue sweatshirt and brown pants.

In the morning things would be back to normal.


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning, things were not to back to normal.

Jack woke up normally. He tried to remember what day it was. Saturday. Yeah. He shook his head. He got out of bed and stretched. He was still holding his staff. Suddenly he remembered the weirdness of last night. No, not last night. It had been a dream. Then how had he gotten home? Everything was a bit fuzzy. He put those thoughts out of his head and went upstairs for breakfast, purposely not checking his reflection in the mirror.

When he stepped into the kitchen, he could tell something was wrong. Emma was eating her cereal with her head down. Instead of bustling around the kitchen, their mom was sitting at the table, looking oddly still.

"Are you going to go to school today, Emma?" She asked quietly.

"I guess so."

The conversation ended there, even though their mother was usually chatty. And it was Saturday, why would Emma be going to school?

Jack realized he was standing still in the entrance to the kitchen. He walked in with a cheerful "Good morning!" Hopefully he could cheer them up, whatever was wrong. "What's for breakfast?"

Nobody responded.

"You'd better get going, Emma." Their mom said. Emma picked up her backpack and opened the front door.

"Hey!" Jack said, "Do I at least get a hug?"

Emma didn't even look up.

"Hello? Emma, what's wrong?" Jack ran over and crouched in front of her. She stepped forward and didn't even touch him. She went straight through him. As if he wasn't even there.

He gasped and stood up, stumbling back and out the door in shock. He looked at Emma. She kept walking toward the bus stop, head down. Jack was breathing quickly, scared of what had just happened. Was he still dreaming?

His mom closed the door behind him. "Hey!" He tried to open it, but it was locked. He wondered…. If Emma walked through him, could he pass through solid objects? He tried walking through the door. It didn't work. What was going on?

Jack wandered down the street, pondering his situation. The wind was still tugging at him. He wondered what had happened. He seemed to have changed, that much was obvious. His appearance had changed. He was pretty sure he was now impervious to cold, as he had been walking in the snow barefoot for a good hour now without being bothered.

He absentmindedly tapped his staff against a tree. He heard a little crackling, and turned to the tree to see frost spreading in an interesting pattern across the bark. He ran his hand over it. He tapped another tree and more frost spread from the tip of his staff. He smiled and started to laugh. If this was a dream, it was a cool one.

He kept walking, examining the way his staff glowed where he touched it. The wind kept pulling at him. It was pretty annoying, actually. He finally gave into it. As soon as he let himself relax into the wind, he was soaring above the houses.

"Woah! Ahh- hahaha!" He laughed in delight.

He found that the wind carried him on it's own, but it often followed his thoughts if he told it where to go. He flew above the city for several hours, forgetting the weirdness of earlier and teaching himself to ride the wind.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack landed inexpertly on his high school campus. If Emma had gone to school, he must have mistaken the day. He was extremely late, but he was pretty sure that was the least of whatever was going on. He went inside with no intention of going to class. He just wanted to see Highland and Elsie.

He checked the time. Third period was about to end. That meant Highland and Elsie would be going to lunch next. He waited outside the lunchroom until the bell rang.

Highland and Elsie came around the corner in a crowd of other students. He slipped in next to Highland and said "So, what'd I miss?"

Highland ignored him. To Jack's surprise, Highland and Elsie walked right past the lunchroom They went out into the courtyard and sat together on a bench.

"Uh, guys? Lunch?" Jack was confused by the looks on their faces. He was standing right in front of them, but Highland was staring off into the distance and Elsie was looking at her hands nestled in her lap.

"It's not the same without him, is it?" She said quietly.

"Of course not." Highland shook his head sadly.

"It's been three weeks. Someone told me today that I should get over it." Elsie said.

"I doubt we'll ever be over it." Highland said seriously. He sighed. "Still, it wasn't the worst way to go. That should be some comfort. Jack died saving his sister. A hero's death."

Jack stumbled backward. Had Highland said he'd _died_?

That might explain some things. But… died?

"Guys! I'm right here! I'm not dead… I think." Jack waved his hand in front of Highland's face. Nothing. So no one could see him or hear him. Jack stared at his two mourning friends, then turned and flew away, still in shock. What was going on? Could this possibly be real? what on earth was he supposed to do?

He came to rest at the top of a tall pine tree. So he had died when he fell into that lake. Was he a ghost or something now? That might explain the flying and invisibility. Maybe his physical changes too. But he couldn't walk through stuff, unless someone walked through him, apparently. And he'd never heard of ghosts making frost.

He sat at the top of the tree for a long time, pondering his situation. His thoughts swirled in dark confusion.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack was still in the topmost branches of the tall pine tree when the moon rose. It was still the full, bright orb from last night. Was it only last night that he had risen out of the lake? He realized now that he had risen into the air when that happened, and that the ice had refrozen beneath his feet when he'd landed. Did it have something to do with the moon?

Jack watched it as it ascended in an arc above him. When the moon was at such an angle that Jack's head was slightly inclined, it spoke to him.

It said his name was Jack Frost.

"No. My name is Jackson Overland." Jack didn't feel silly talking to the moon. In fact after a day of silence, it felt quite natural. And he knew the moon was speaking to _him_ , and though he heard no noise, he could understand.

The Moon told him again that his name was Jack Frost.

"No, it's not!" Jack just wanted answers. After the weirdest day of his life (for he had determined that it could not be a dream, nor was he dead) he was impatient with confusion. "If you're talking to me, tell me what happened and why I'm here. Apparently I died a few weeks ago. Why am I still here?"

The Moon replied that he had chosen Jack. He explained that he had thought Jack worth saving, so he had preserved his life with some weird moon magic. Jack gained powers appropriate to his "center" (whatever that meant) and was to use them as he saw fit.

That was all the moon told him. No matter how much Jack pleaded for more information, that was all he ever told him. Still Jack didn't know exactly why he was there or what he was meant to do, and part of him wondered if he ever would.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack adjusted to his new life slowly. He spent many days at Emma's side, watching over her as she mourned him. He also visited Highland and Elsie often. He talked to them, even though he knew they could not hear, to make himself less lonely.

"Today I found out that I can freeze something by blowing on it." He told Emma on her way home from school. "I thought it was just my staff or hands, but I froze some kid's tongue to the flagpole this morning!" he laughed. He had been experimenting over the past few weeks. Having fun, maybe causing a little trouble. It lifted his spirits so he didn't have to confront the reality of his own death.

He looked down at Emma, who had no idea he was walking beside her. Her face was always a bit sad these days. Jack wished he could cheer her up the way he used to.

He had taken to sleeping outside in the tree closest to his old house, finding that he preferred to be outside. He often watched Emma and his mom through the windows. At first he had come inside to be with them, but his presence and lowered the temperature in the house to the point where his mom had checked the heating system. He watched from outside now.

That night, Jack's mom stayed up late. He watched with concern as she sat in her bed, unmoving. He got close enough to her window that he could see her looking through her journal. She was weeping.

"Oh, Jack…" he heard her say, "Jack, why? Why did I let you go? We need you. You were always so helpful, so happy. I never told you how good you were or how much I loved you. Emma is so lonely, she needs you, Jack. We both do." She continued sobbing over her old journal entries, which were undoubtedly filled with Jack's antics.

Jack cried too. He wished that he could jump in and make her feel better. Unexpectedly, he also felt angry. She shouldn't have depended on him so much. He was just a teenager. She should have been able to take care of Emma on her own. He should not have had responsibility for the whole family's happiness. Why was his mother so weak?

Then he felt shame. She wasn't weak, just struggling since his dad had left. Still, she should be trying harder to make Emma feel better.

Jack flew back to his tree. He thought about his family's situation, and wondered how he could help. If only the stupid ice hadn't cracked. If only he had found a different lake. If only the Moon hadn't extended his life by magical means, then he wouldn't have to worry about this! Why did this have to happen to him? What was so special about him? Why put him through this?


	9. Chapter 9

Jack fumed as he sat in his tree. His thoughts circled darkly. He didn't deserve this lonely existence. Had the Moon somehow made him fall into the lake, to force this on him? Why did he and his family have to suffer like this?

Above him, the waning crescent moon sat peacefully in the sky. He yelled at it. He asked why this was happening to him, but no answer came.

Jack descended from his tree, climbing down rather than flying. He resented his powers, because of what they cost him. Not that he'd have ever chosen this. He paced, getting angrier. He kept yelling at the ever-silent Moon.

"Why?" he shouted at it, "Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this? You've separated me from my family, my friends, everyone! You dropped me here and left me alone!" he punched the tree, which only made him angrier from the pain. He stared up at the Moon, waiting insolently for an answer. Its calm silence infuriated him. He shouted angrily and a bolt of blue light shot out of his staff.

He startled back, surprised. A small cloud was forming where the energy had hit the sky. It covered the moon as it expanded outward.

That just made Jack more angry. Now he had nothing to take it out on.

"Agh! Just stop it!" He was still shouting at the Moon, though the clouds swirling above him were so thick as to obscure all light from the sky. "Just stop! I want to go go back! Just put me back… just…" Jack slid down the trunk of his tree until he was sitting on the ground. He put his head between his knees, and the tears he had been holding back for weeks finally spilled from his eyes.

Snow started to fall. It was gentle at first, but soon dropped thick and fast. Jack barely noticed as the snow piled up around him.


	10. Chapter 10

That night, Highland dreamt of snow.

A blizzard. He was lost in a swirl of white, turning desperately to find his way out. A hand reached through the storm to help him. He lunged for it, but it disappeared the moment he touched it.


	11. Chapter 11

When Jack awoke the next morning he felt a little cold. That was odd, since he hadn't really felt anything but comfortably cool since the transformation, unless he went inside or near a fire (those were terribly hot, and made him very uneasy).

When he looked around, he realized that he could see only the tops of trees and houses. It had snowed almost ten feet overnight, and it hadn't stopped yet. He flew into the air, frantically searching the area for anyone who might be caught in the terrible storm. He hoped everyone had gotten inside. The wind was howling, a few power lines had been knocked out, and there was no way anyone was driving anywhere. Had he caused this?

He cleared a little hole in the snow out back of his house, deep enough that he could see into the window. His mom was bustling around, finding candles. The power was out. Emma was huddled under a thick blanket on the couch. Of course, if the power was out, so was the heating. If Jack was a little cold, everyone else must be freezing.

He blasted some more snow around the house, burying it further. He hoped it would insulate his family from the bitter cold.

The storm was stopping quickly now, but the snow still covered everything. Jack flew around the neighborhood, checking that people were alright. Everyone seemed huddled inside from the cold, but Jack still had a feeling that something was wrong. He flew down the next street, searching. He had an instinctive feeling, a kind of heaviness in his stomach, that someone was stuck in his snow.

 _My snow_ , he thought. If someone had gotten hurt because of him…

Suddenly he saw it. Or rather, he felt it. Deep in the woods behind his neighborhood, someone was struggling through the thick snow. He sped through the trees, finally realizing that the person was in the little cave near the river. Jack used to spend summer nights in that cave. It was a remote place, and at the moment, completely buried. He could sense someone digging, trying to get out.

Jack raised his staff and spun it towards the large snowdrift. A gust of wind blew, and the snow carved away, creating a tunnel into the cave. Jack ran in and saw Highland laying at the entrance to the cave, weak and shivering.

"Highland!" Jack cried, stopping abruptly. "How did you get out here?"

Highland raised his head slowly. "Jack?" he asked, seeming dazed. "Help…"

Jack didn't even stop to register the fact that Highland could see him. He pulled Highland up, draping his arm around his shoulder. Together they walked out of the cave and into the snow-filled woods. As soon as they reached the edge of the tunnel leading into the cave, Highland collapsed. Jack picked him up and flew towards the nearest hospital. If Highland hadn't been unconscious and the situation so serious, Jack would have loved showing off his flying to him. But as it was, all Jack could do was worry.

He looked Highland over as he flew. His lips and fingers were blue, he was wearing no protective clothing. The most he had on were sneakers and a jacket. He must have been stuck in that cave for a while. What had Jack done?


	12. Chapter 12

The doctors had no idea how this boy had made it to the hospital in his condition, but it was lucky he did. After finding the boy facedown in the reception room frozen stiff, they rushed him to the ER. They checked his vitals, which were okay. He was alive, anyway. They warmed him up until his body temperature was back to normal. Then they inspected him. It was determined that although the rest of him would make a full recovery, the boy's lower left leg was gone. The tissue was dead from the cold.

He was transported to the operating room, and the foot was removed. The poor boy was unconscious during the whole thing, even when they had warmed him up. Of course, the anesthesia helped during the operation.

The doctors were still trying to figure out who the boy was, but no one needs an ID to be taken care of.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Jack was watching the whole time. He endured the stifling heat within the hospital for hours to make sure his best friend was okay. He couldn't bring himself to watch while they removed Highland's leg.

When Highland finally woke up, he was disoriented and confused. He felt something odd with his leg, and lifted the blankets cautiously to see why. He felt sick at the sight of the stump below his knee that greeted him.

The nurse watching over him explained quickly what had happened. "We still don't even know who you are or how you got here," Nurse Williams concluded, "Would you mind telling us?"

Highland told the nurse who he was, but he too didn't know how he'd gotten there. He speculated with the nurse, who was quite kind about it, though Highland didn't know why this British guy was a nurse. Wasn't that more of a girl thing? Highland shook his head. He was still disoriented and distracted.

Jack watched from the corner, wondering why Highland had gone back to not seeing him. Jack didn't want to admit it, but he was heartbroken. For a moment, he had hoped that something had opened Highland's eyes. Jack was pretty sure Highland had seen him in that cave, why couldn't he see him now?

Besides Highland's stubborn eyes, Jack was feeling enormously guilty about his leg. Jack's storm had trapped Highland in that cave. The intense cold which had given him the frostbite that took his leg had been under Jack's control. It was because of him that Highland was suffering like this.

Jack was so filled with remorse for hurting his best friend that he started to cry. He flew up to the roof of the hospital and broke down. How could he have hurt someone he loved? His best friend…

As Jack sat, wondering miserably about Highland, the sun came out. The snow began to melt. It was still very cold, but within a few hours driving was possible. Jack saw Highland's father arrive at the hospital and followed him inside.

As Highland was explaining what had happened, Elsie arrived.

"So I stopped in this cave in the woods and fell asleep, and when I woke up it was so cold… I couldn't get through the wall of snow blocking the entrance. I was sealed in." Highland said.

"How did you get out?" Elsie asked worriedly.

"I don't know… the snow was just suddenly gone, and I thought…" Highland trailed off.

"What is it, son?" his dad asked.

"I thought I saw Jack." Highland said quietly.

"But… oh, Highland…" Elsie started.

"Except it didn't look exactly like him," Highland explained, rushing on quickly as if trying to get it all out. "His hair was white, and I think his eyes were blue. But at the time, I was so sure it was him." Highland looked down miserably.

"It couldn't have been. Maybe you were so exhausted you were seeing things." Elsie said gently.

"I know. I blacked out right after. But still…" Highland shook his head.

Jack was bewildered. So Highland really had seen him, but he sure couldn't now. Jack wondered why.


	13. Chapter 13

Jack stayed with Highland for the next few weeks while he recovered, trying to be seen again. He talked to him and joked as he used to, hoping that something would get through. He even jumped on him once when he was asleep, the way they used to wrestle when they were young. He made contact, and Highland woke with a start. Jack jumped up, floating above him, suddenly elated. But Highland just looked around confusedly and laid back down.

Jack was so disappointed that he froze Highland's IV. Then he mentally kicked himself. He had to get his powers under control. He still hadn't figured out how to melt things on purpose. Luckily Nurse Williams came in within five minutes and got him a new one, though both he and Highland wondered how that had happened in the warm hospital room.

Later that day, Nurse Williams talked to Highland about his leg. "We're going to measure you so we can get you a prosthetic leg." He was speaking soothingly, possibly because it was part of his training, and possibly because Highland looked extremely uncomfortable with the idea of a prosthetic leg.

"When I get home, I'm going to make myself a leg," He said, "I don't want some weird plastic thing stuck to me forever." He looked at his dad. "It'll be kinda steampunk, I think. Made of iron, or some light alloy." His dad smiled with some pain. He had always been hard on Highland, and surely he felt a mixture of pride at his handling of his situation and guilt at not protecting him.

"Remember that anything you make has to be approved by the hospital," Nurse Williams said, but he smiled a little. Highland was a genius, and Nurse Williams could tell.

But Jack, who was hovering in a corner, was still filled with shame and guilt. He felt a desperate kind of need to be seen by Highland, to apologize, and to be accepted. He realized that he still hadn't accepted himself. He was a freak, an invisible kid who could make nothing but trouble. His thoughts circled darkly, and when he realized that he had lost track of Highland's conversation, he left.

When he wasn't with Highland, Jack checked on Emma and Elsie. Emma looked as though she would never be happy again. Elsie was trying to isolate herself, as if running away would make everything better. She barely came to visit Highland. Sometimes Jack followed her, fruitlessly trying to think of new ways to get her to see him.

Emma was even more miserable. Jack hadn't realized how much she looked up to him. And of course, his best efforts went to her. He did his best to keep her comfortable, and even harder to get her to see.

One day she was walking home from school with her friend Jamie. He was her best friend, and sometimes she even smiled when she was with him. Jamie had dark hair and amazing ideas. He was a lot like Emma, enough that they could be siblings. After Jack had died, Emma had gotten closer to Jamie. Jack hoped that it was enough of a replacement.

Jamie was looking through his new book- _They're Out There! Mysteries, Mythical Creatures, and Unexplained Phenomena_. "It says here that they found Bigfoot hair samples and DNA, in Michigan! That's like, super close!"

"Oh, come on, Jamie." Emma said with a small smile.

"You saw the video, Emma. He's out there!"

"That's what you said about aliens." She laughed. "You'd believe in anything!"

Jack started. Believe in anything…. Something rang a bell there.

Jamie and Emma arrived at the place that Jamie's mom came to drive them home. There she was, waiting and impatient. "Come on, honey, get in the car," she said.

"Mom, it's not even that cold!"

She didn't seem to hear. Jamie's mom tended to worry a lot. "You're not wearing a hat or gloves!" She said, shoving a hat onto his head. Emma giggled. "You don't want Jack Frost nipping at your nose." Jamie's mom gestured for them to get into the car.

Jack reeled in shock. _Did she just say-?_

"Who's Jack Frost?" Jamie asked.

"No one honey, it's just an expression." She closed the car doors.

"Hey!" Jack shouted. "Wait, come back! How did you-?" he flew after the car, but to no avail. He was as invisible as ever.


	14. Chapter 14

_How could she know my name? No, not_ my _name. The name the Moon gave me. Is this his doing? Why did Highland see me once and not again?_ Jack sat in his tree behind the house, brooding over these strange events. _So it is possible for them to see me, but how?_

While sitting deep in thought, Jack saw something. A golden trail of dust was twisting through the air in front of him. Startled, Jack stood up. He had become quite good at balancing on the tops of trees. He watched the dust curl through the air toward Emma's window. He flew to it and tried to block it's path, thinking it might be dangerous.

When it touched him, he relaxed. Upon contact with his skin he knew it was the exact opposite of dangerous. He knew it the way he knew rough ice from fresh powder. He put his hand through it, twisting it between his fingers. It was lighter than air, and as soft as silk. As it wound into Emma's room, he turned to see where it was coming from.

A golden cloud swirled above him. In the center was a little golden man, seemingly made of the same dust as the cloud. He flew toward the man, and when he reached the edge of the cloud, the man looked straight at him and grinned wide. His flyaway golden hair stuck up around his head like a crown. Now that Jack was closer, he could see that all of him- from his clothes to his face- was made of sand.

It took Jack a moment to process that the sand man could see him. "Wha-?" He stumbled back (or whatever the flying version of that would be) and stared.

The sand man grinned wider. Above his head, little glyphs appeared. The moon, a snowflake, some sort of crystal, a silhouette- they shifted too quickly for Jack to make them out well. The little man was obviously excited, gesturing to Jack and pointing behind him. He didn't seem to be able to talk.

"Who are you?" Jack asked hesitantly. He couldn't just take for granted a magical being who could see him, but he was doubtful all the same.

The man gestured to the sand around him with an expression that said _Really? You haven't figured that out?_

"Sand… the Sandman?"

He gave Jack another look that clearly meant _Duh!_

"You're real?"

The Sandman rolled his eyes and put his hand on his forehead.

Two days later, Jack was still processing this. Sandy had taken him to North's palace, where "The Guardians" had given him the "newcomer speech". Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman were the Guardians, and all other so-called imaginary characters of the sort were real as well for any child who believed in them. And now Jack was one of them.

"But I don't want to be!" Jack had protested angrily. "I want to go back to my family!"

The Guardians glanced at each other nervously, like his reaction was not what they were expecting. Did they think he was going to jump up and down like ' _Yay, I get to be an invisible freak forever!'?_ "What?" he asked moodily.

"It's just… normally when the Moon chooses a new minor Guardian, he wipes their memories temporarily so they can settle," Tooth tried to explain.

"He takes our _memories_?" Jack said, aghast. "Well thank goodness he didn't take mine, 'cause that is messed up." He glared at the three-quarter moon through the hatch in the roof.

"I wonder why he did not take yours," North wondered. "There must be reason."

"Yeah, like wasting our time with this whiny kid. I've gotta go." Bunny rolled his eyes and turned his back.

"Bunny, wait, we have to answer his questions." North said. Bunny crossed his arms and slowly turned back around.

"Is there any way for me to go back?" Jack said quickly. "Please? Anything?"

"Even if you could go back you'd be dead, mate." Bunny said, slightly exasperated.

"But I'll do anything! I want to play with my sister and tease Highland and talk to Elsie and help my mom…" he trailed off, trying to contain his emotion. He put his head down, his face crumpled in a mixture of agony and frustration.

Tooth put her hand on his shoulder. "Jack, you can help them by doing what the Moon made you for. Make the best of it."

"But what AM I here for?" Jack shouted, throwing off her hand and turning away. "What is the point? Isn't there anything I can do?"

No answer.

"Am I supposed to spend the rest of eternity completely alone? Watching my family and friends grow up, grow old…." Suddenly he couldn't speak. He hadn't yet processed that possibility. No, at this point it wasn't even a possibility, it was fact.

"Jack…" Tooth said quietly. But nothing she or anyone could have said would comfort him.

"Tell me the truth. Is there any way that I can go back to my old life? I don't care how far-fetched it is." He faced the Guardians with as much contempt as he could muster, holding back the tears that made his vision blurry.

"No." said Bunny. Tooth and Sandy just looked sad. But North wouldn't look at him.

"Yes?" Jack asked. He flew into North's face with the hardest look he had ever given anyone.

"You would have to talk to Man in Moon, Jack. I do not know if it is possible."

A tiny spark of hope ignited in Jack's chest.

"But do not count on it. Manny never goes back on anything."


	15. Chapter 15

And North was right. Manny had not gone back. Nothing doing. Absolute zero.

Jack lapsed into deep depression. It felt so foreign to him- he was always the cheerful, lighthearted one when he had been alive. _When he had been alive_. That recurring thought sent him spiraling downward. He didn't go to see Highland or Elsie, and rarely spent his time near Emma. He stayed in his trees, or flew so fast the wind stung his face. So isolated. So… pointless.

He couldn't spend the rest of his existence like this.

He _wouldn't_ spend the rest of his existence like this.

Jack fled. He flew away, just away, to nowhere in particular. As a result, he ended up in Russia. It was now the middle of March, so it had been getting uncomfortably warm in his home town of Burgess Pennsylvania. Hanging out in Moscow felt better both physically and emotionally.

And so he lived. He flew, he played pranks on the local kids, he even laughed. And he forgot about his friends and family. Why worry about them? They were as good as gone. He spent months without a single thought of his past. And he liked it.


	16. Chapter 16

Emma knelt beside the lake. Her mom stood behind her. She laid a few flowers in a pile of dirt on top of the ice. It was exactly a year since Jack had died.

Highland and Elsie sat apart from each other in the courtyard today. Neither of them had ordered lunch.

Jack hovered over a local park, looking for his next victim. He crouched on top of a tree above a young boy, grinning wickedly. By leaping lightly from branch to branch he came to rest a few feet above the boy's head. Then he jounced the branch and a large pile of snow buried the kid. Jack laughed hard enough that he would have fallen out of the tree had he not been light as air.

A muffled yell came from inside the snow pile. The boy's blonde head popped out and he shouted "Susie!"

"What now, Calvin?" Said a girl building a snowman a few feet away.

"What was that for?!"

"That wasn't me, Calvin. You're just a klutz." Susie said condescendingly.

Jack chuckled and flew away. He soared joyfully to the next town over to look for another kid or two to prank.

He spotted a girl walking along the sidewalk. She met up with a couple other kids and started talking. Perfect! Time for a snowball fight.

He landed behind the girl and picked up a handful of snow, creeping toward the group. Suddenly the girl turned on the spot, facing him. He stopped cold.

"What is it, Emma?" One of her friends asked.

"I thought I felt...nevermind." she kept looking in Jack's direction though, a confused expression on her face.

 _Emma_. How could he have not recognized her? Forgotten her? He was back in his hometown, and all the pain of those lonely weeks rushed back.

He stumbled back, dropping the snowball and staring at Emma, afraid that if he blinked she would be gone. She continued walking with her friends, but she glanced over her shoulder at him every few seconds, like she knew he was there. He scrambled away and took off.

How had he not noticed where he was? There was the restaurant where he, Elsie and Highland liked to hang out. The park down the street from his house, perfectly equidistant between his and Highland's.

What day was it? Where were Highland and Elsie? His head spun. He landed on the roof of his very own house and broke down. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he buried his head in his knees. He had almost forgotten his home and family and friends. Did he still even have a home? Was all that lost to him the moment he became Jack Frost?

It began to snow lightly. As Jack watched the flakes falling gently, he saw two familiar figures approach the front door. Looking over the edge of the roof, he saw Highland and Elsie knock on the door. He vaulted over the edge and came to rest behind them just as his mother opened the door.

Her face shocked him. She wasn't quite as he remembered, thinner and more lined. Less happy. "Oh, hello Highland. Elsie. Through the back here." They walked through the house quietly and went into the woods out the back door.

Jack wondered why they were here. They wouldn't have come over much with him gone. He cringed at that thought. As he followed them through the woods he noticed little things all too easy to forget. The bush he had liked to hide behind waiting to scare Emma. His favorite climbing tree. Suddenly they stopped, and Jack walked through them with that horrible empty feeling rushing through him. He had stepped onto the frozen lake where…

He looked back. Elsie was crying and, Jack noticed, holding a bunch of flowers. She placed them on top of the ice, right at Jack's feet. Highland stepped beside her and put a tiny, messily made snowman next to the white bouquet. Jack crouched next to the gifts. They were mourning him.

Elsie laughed wetly. "A snowman, Highland?"

He smiled sadly. "It seemed right. You know how he liked the snow. And I just had a feeling…"

Elsie nodded and they stood looking at icy lake for a long time before turning back to follow Mrs. Overland out of the woods.


	17. Chapter 17

One year since he had died. And how had he spent that? Completely uselessly. Playing pranks on random kids and freezing water pipes. He couldn't believe himself.

Now it was time to show them- he would show them all. What, he wasn't exactly sure… but he remembered how Highland had seen him in that cave. He was determined to figure out how that worked and make it happen again, hopefully when the person in question was a little more conscious.

His first attempt was on Emma. He followed her around all day, doing everything he could think of. He blew cold wind through her hair, frosted her bedroom window in the most interesting design he could come up with, and even iced the sidewalk as she walked along it. He didn't want to hurt her, but he was going to do whatever it took for her to notice.

Once he ran out of ideas, and with Emma still blind, he just followed her. Nothing notable happened until that evening, when his mom was talking to a friend on the phone while she prepared dinner.

Jack was sitting on the counter, trying to pretend he was back in his old life. Emma doing her homework, his mom gossiping away...

"Honestly, Maureen, I swear. Its gotten so cold around here that it's like Jack Frost blew into town."

Emma and Jack looked up at her at the same time. Jack had been noticing this. People talked about him like he was the north wind or something. Had that always been an expression?

"What'd you say, mom?" Emma asked.

"Nothing, honey. Oh, I _know_ , Maureen..."

Emma had a strange look on her face. Jack wasn't sure, but he thought it was the look of an idea.

Next he tried Highland. A lot of the same techniques, all of them just about as successful as they were with Emma. Jack resigned himself to floating after Highland, mildly annoyed but not surprised. He followed him all weekend, to no avail. Maybe he needed to trap him in another cave if he was going to be this stubborn.

It probably wasn't helping that Highland had changed quite a bit since Jack had last seen him. It was shocking, but he had grown significantly taller, and more muscular (Was that possible?). In fact, when he followed Highland around school he noticed clusters of girls eyeing him interestedly. That was definitely new.

And Elsie…. He didn't even have the heart to try her. She was even more distant than she used to be, she stayed locked in her room and hardly came out for anything.

So he stayed near Emma, mostly. It would have been as unbearable as it was before, except that Emma seemed more… aware. She still couldn't see him, obviously, but when he made it snow she would look up in a way that she hadn't before. Her eyes shone with an undefinable wonder.


	18. Chapter 18

Highland came running into the library of the school, panting and with melting snow running down the back of his neck.

"What happened to you?" Elsie asked, looking up from her book.

"Snowballs..." Highland gasped. "I need to talk to you. Like now."

"What about?" she asked suspiciously.

"I can't… say here. Just… well, come with me."

So Elsie followed Highland out of the library and to a back entrance of school, a seldom-traveled corner where they would not be overheard.

"Honestly, Highland, what on earth is it?"

"Okay, so you're going to think I'm crazy or something, but…" he hesitated, looking off to the side.

"Just spit it out, Highland!" Elsie said impatiently.

"Fine, fine. Um, I think that there's a ghost or something following me because snowballs keep flying at me from nowhere every time I step outside and I don't think I'm going crazy because there is definately snow in my hair right? Seriously every time I go outside snowballs go flying and I can never see anyone throwing them and even when I drive somewhere when I get out of the car the snowballs attack again WHAT IS GOING ON?" Highland said this all very fast.

Elsie stared at him in disbelief. "Highland..."

"I swear to you, I am not making this up. Watch." He walked to the door and pushed it open. He walked outside and stood in the small field that bordered this side of the school. Elsie followed him skeptically. She raised one eyebrow as Highland stood still on the thick layer of snow.

"Just-" he began, but a pile of snow fell directly on top of his head, cutting him off. Elsie snorted, watching Highland wipe snow from his eyes. "See?" He said. "I'm not standing under anyth-" a snowball hit him hard in the side of the head. He stumbled sideways and managed to right himself just in time for another snowball to hit him straight in the face.

Elsie looked over her shoulder, trying to see where it had come from. Whoever had thrown it had amazing aim. It had sailed over her shoulder and whistled past her ear in the blink of an eye.

"Elsie!" Highland cried. She turned back to see him being pelted from all directions with no apparent source of the snowballs.

She burst out laughing. She couldn't help it, it was hilarious. He was cowering on the ground now, and the snow was still flying.

"Don't just stand there, help me!" he said through a mouthful.

"What can I do?" She giggled. "But I do believe you now. This is pretty weird.

"It wasn't happening like this before!"

She rolled her eyes. "Come here." She grabbed his arm and tugged him inside, snow still hitting his back but not catching her. She dragged him through the door and the onslaught stopped. A single snowball hit the door behind them.

"WHAT ON EARTH IS HAPPENING?" Highland shrilled.

"Keep your voice down!" Elsie said. "I don't know, but it looks like something weirdly supernatural. Not that I'm an expert."

"Great, now are we gonna go on an adventure to figure it out?"

Elsie grinned. "Looks like it." then her face fell. "Jack would've liked this." she said.

Highland turned away. Another snowball hit the window.

Highland flinched. "Yeah, well, since he's not here-" another snowball hit the window behind him. He turned, incredulous. "WHAT THE EVEN? Anyway, should we ask someone about this? That one kid Tyrone, or maybe the Winston brothers?" There were a few kids in their school who claimed to be experts on the supernatural. Such things were not unheard of, though still widely unbelieved.

Elsie rolled her eyes. "I don't want to ask anyone else. And I don't feel like dealing with Tyrone's crazy sister or that Casey guy who hangs out with the Winstons. I swear there's no way he's an exchange student, he's way too weird…"

"Well then, what are we going to do?!" Highland said, cutting her off.

"Investigate it ourselves, of course!" And she marched outside.

"I'm not going back out there!" Highland called after her. She ignored him as she pushed open the door.

Elsie walked back outside. Jack's heart leaped, but he tried to steady his emotions. Just because Highland had noticed something didn't mean this was going anywhere. She was looking around curiously.

He carefully shaped another snowball and aimed. It fell right at Elsie's feet. She picked it up, but the powdery snow disintegrated in her hands. Floating upward, Jack carefully blew a tiny flurry towards her. The snow lifted out of her hands and off the ground, spiraling upward around her. He circled her, keeping the flakes spinning. She spun slowly on the spot, looking up in wonder.

Elsie had never seen anything like this. She had a personal snowstorm, swirling wind somehow keeping out the cold. The air seemed to sparkle. She forgot about everything and leaned into it, and felt a cold touch on her cheek. She opened her eyes, but nothing was there.

Jack watched her stroke the spot where he had kissed her. She had felt it. He yearned so badly for her to see him. He touched the ground and leaned in toward her…

Suddenly the door flew open. "How are you doing that?" Highland cried.

The flurry dropped as if it had never been. Jack turned, angry at Highland for spoiling the moment. Elsie was still in a daze.

"What was tha-" Highland was cut off by a large pile of snow which had dropped on his head. Jack snickered. He hadn't done that on purpose, but it was funny.

Elsie shook herself. "I… I don't know." She looked around. "Highland?"

A muffled shout came from inside the snow pile. Elsie laughed and helped Highland out.


	19. Chapter 19

For the next couple days, Jack followed them and threw a snowball every time they talked about him. Which wasn't often, so it was difficult to establish a pattern. But they had to figure it out eventually… right?

"That's it, I'm going to Tyrone." Highland said in exasperation. He and Elsie were working in the library. Elsie had made him sit next to the window, so the occasional snowball was quite obvious. Highland slammed his book shut. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm sick of it."

"Come on, this is pretty funny." Elsie said, smirking.

"Elsie, this is just annoying at this point. I'm going to figure out why this is happening and how to stop it." He slammed his book shut and stood up, pushing his chair back so hard that it almost fell over, earning him a long and caustic "shush" from their librarian.

"Uhh, Highland? You might not want to leave just yet." Elsie was staring out the window.

Highland rolled his eyes. "What now? I'm finding Tyrone." He turned away.

"Highland, would you just look?!" Elsie grabbed his sleeve and pulled him to the window.

"What the-?!" From the second story library window, they could both see huge letters etched in the snow of the lawn below, as if they had been carved there. They read: COME ON HIGHLAND.

Highland stared at the words, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

But that wasn't all, the snow had more to say. In smaller script under the first message was more writing, but they couldn't read it from the window. Elsie hurriedly grabbed her things and rushed downstairs and made it outside without Highland noticing she was gone. He was too busy staring at the words in the snow. When he finally realized Elsie was outside, he too gathered his things and followed.

"Who wrote this?" Highland wondered aloud, as soon as he had made it out to the lawn. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the smaller words read: I AM SO SICK OF THIS. SEE ME ALREADY.

Beside the letters was a disrupted patch in the smooth snow, as if someone had taken a blunt sword to it in rage.

"Probably whoever is throwing snowballs at you."

"Or whatever…" Highland crouched down to examine the words more closely. Right on cue, a puff of snow exploded on the back of his head. It hit him hard enough that he face-planted into the snow in front of him. He groaned without getting up, hearing Elsie start to laugh behind him.

Jack turned and soared away. He was so done with those two. His heart froze as he realised that he just couldn't do it… no one was ever going to see him again.

He set down in the tall tree behind his house, or at least the house that used to be his. He watched Emma play through the window. He buried his head in his knees, and the tears that had been held back all day finally fell.

Around him the snow piled up again.


	20. Chapter 20

"Come on, Emma. I'm leaving." Emma heard her mom call from upstairs. She put down her toys and ran up, grabbing her shoes as she went.

"Where are you going again?" She asked as she climbed into the car.

"I'm going to my book club, and you're going to the kids' reading time at the library." Her mom said as she backed out of the driveway. "I'm just going to be in the next room over."

"Oh. Okay." Emma stared out the window at the snow-covered street. She wasn't super excited about the library's reading time, but her mom wanted her to hang out with other kids her age. She'd been a bit reclusive lately, so her mom had taken it upon herself to take Emma to social gatherings.

When they entered the library, Emma went off to the kids' corner while her mom met some friends for her book club. Emma found Jamie and a few others she knew among the twenty or so children ready for the group story.

"We're reading about old legends today." Jamie said as Emma sat down beside him. "Should be interesting."

A girl turned around and shushed him as the librarian started speaking.

"Alright, kids, settle down." She said, "Today's book is _Legends Through History_." Emma leaned back against the bean bag she was in front of and relaxed. Usually the books the librarians read them weren't super fascinating, so sometimes she daydreamed or dozed off. She looked out the window at the snowstorm as the librarian began talking about age-old legends. Various tales from her childhood: the Man in the Moon, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman. She was vaguely interested, at least enough to register the abnormal origins of each character. She hadn't known that the Tooth Fairy came from India, or that she could split herself into thousands of little fairies.

"Next," the librarian said, "I'm going to tell you about Jack Frost, the Spirit of Winter."

Emma sat up. She'd never heard of Jack Frost before. She looked at Jamie questioningly, but he was listening intently to the story. She looked back at the book the librarian was holding up. The illustration showed a watercolor of a white-haired boy with blue skin and a brown cloak, sitting in front of the moon on top of a tree. She listened as the librarian told about the old legends of Jack Frost, who brought snow and winter to all the world.

"He's the North Wind, Old Man Winter, he's the bite that nips your nose in the cold." The librarian said poetically.

Emma raised her hand. "How old is this legend? I've never heard it before."

Jamie looked at her, surprised. "You've never heard of Jack Frost?"

The librarian answered, "As old as folklore itself."

"What exactly does he look like?" Emma asked.

"No one knows for sure." The librarian turned a few pages and showed them more pictures, but none of them were the same. Some showed a man made of ice, or a mere shadow in the wind, or a young ghostly boy.

"Can we get on with it?" The girl who had shushed Jamie asked.

"Sorry…" Emma said, looking down at her hands. _That was so strange…_ Why hadn't she known this before?

Lost in thought, she didn't hear another word of the librarian's stories.

"You've really never heard of Jack Frost?" Jamie asked her as they were leaving.

"No," Emma said, looking at her feet. "It's funny, it seems like I should have, I just… didn't."

"Hmm." Said Jamie, looking a bit preoccupied as he scanned the books on the shelf next to them.

"Time to go, Emma." Her mom emerged from the side room by which she and Jamie had been waiting.

"Bye, Jamie." Emma said. He waved as she followed her mom out the door and back into the car. The snow had gotten deeper while they were inside, and she picked her way through the drifts, trying to keep it out of her boots.

On the way home, she stared out the window at the snowfall, thinking. Jack Frost, spirit of winter….

She laughed to herself. The story reminded her of her brother. In a good way.

She imagined a boy who looked like Jack, running through the snow in his bare feet. She imagined him building a snowman, making snow angels, and reveling in a blizzard he had created. She sighed happily. Imagination made everything better.

As they pulled into the driveway, Emma saw something move in her periphery. There was something in her backyard. She jumped out of the car and ran around back.

"Where are you going, Emma?" Her mom called after her.

"I'm just going to check something." She said.

"Alright, but come in soon. It's cold out."

 _Yes, it is. Unusually cold._ Emma thought. She peeked around the side of the house. She saw nothing but a faint rustling of the tallest pine tree on the edge of the yard. Slightly disappointed, she walked through the yard, examining the tree. She had turned to go back inside when she heard it.  
"Hi, Emma." The voice was familiar, slightly sad and wistful. It belonged to a boy.

Emma whipped around. The backyard was still empty.


	21. Chapter 21

Jack was sitting at the top of his tree. Emma had just gotten home. She walked around back and looked at his tree. He looked down at her with a sad smile on his face. As she started back toward the house, he spoke.

"Hi, Emma." He always talked to her, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. She looked around suddenly. Against his will, Jack's heart lept. It was as if she had heard him. He shook himself. He knew it wasn't going to happen. But maybe she had sensed something…. She had been unusually alert lately.

He laughed a bit, crouching on his branch. Maybe this was his chance to have some fun with her.

She was turning back around, slowly, as he floated down from the tree. He touched down lightly, leaving no footprints in the fresh snow. He couched down, forming a perfect snowball in his hands. He laughed as he got ready to throw it.

As if in response to his laugh, Emma spun around again. Her eyes went wide. Jack stuttered to a halt. The hand he had raised to throw the snowball dropped a bit, and her eyes followed it. She seemed to be looking straight at him.

"E-Emma?" he asked, voice shaking, hardly daring to hope.

She heard a laugh behind her. Emma spun around again and caught sight of a boy with white hair about to throw a snowball at her. She stared at him. He stopped moving, seeming surprised at her reaction. The hand with the snowball lowered a bit.

"E-Emma?" He said in a shaky voice.

"How do you know my name?" She asked him, confused.

The boy with the white hair dropped the snowball. He took a step back. He looked as though he couldn't make up his mind. His clear blue eyes shone with tears.

"Why are you crying?" She asked. This boy seemed so familiar to her, and somehow it seemed wrong that he should be crying.

"You… you can see me?" He said, his voice barely audible.

"Uh, yeah. Who are you?" She tilted her head to one side. She was sure she had seen him before….

"I'm Jack! Don't you know me?" He skimmed over the snow and stopped right in front of Emma, looking into her eyes. She noticed that he wasn't wearing any shoes.

"Jack… Like Jack Frost?" She asked. She was vaguely excited, but something about that statement didn't feel right. When she said it, his face fell.

"Frost?" He laughed, but it sounded more like a sob. "You only know me as Jack Frost?" He wiped his eyes and muttered under his breath, "I suppose I should be grateful you can see me at all…"

"Who else would you be?" Emma asked curiously.

"Jackson Overland. Your brother." He said, looking at her face pleadingly.

"You're not my brother, even if your name is Jack. He's gone." Emma turned away as her voice broke.

"No, Emma, I'm your brother!" He put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from walking away. "You have to believe me! You finally see me and I can't…." He trailed off as he saw the hurt look in her eyes.

"My brother's gone." She said again. Even if this was Jack Frost, he had no business talking about Jack. Just because he was magic didn't mean he could pretend to be him.

"No, Emma, you have to listen to me! I'm Jack! Or, I was…"

She turned around to glare at him, and noticed that the blue sweatshirt he was wearing looked just like Jack's. He did look like him, except for the coloring. "If you're Jack, then tell me what my favorite game is."

"Hopscotch. We played it all the time!"

She was surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Because I'm your brother! Emma, please…" he fell to his knees in the snow beside her and hugged her.

She gasped. Though the hug was as cold as ice, no one but her brother felt like that. She suddenly knew him, the way she knew right from wrong and good from bad. Jack, whom she had believed was gone forever, was hugging her again.


	22. Chapter 22

"Jack!" She said into his shoulder, starting to cry.

He squeezed her back. "Oh, Emma, I'm so glad you can see me! I've been so lonely!"

" _You've_ been lonely? I thought you were gone forever," she said wetly. She laughed again from sheer relief.

Jack picked her up and spun her around, the way he used to. He put her down and pressed her head to his chest. He wouldn't lose her again.

Eventually they broke apart. "How did this happen?" She asked him, wiping her eyes. "I mean, Jack Frost? How?"

Jack sobered a bit, and told her about the Moon and his new powers. "…And I don't understand why nobody could see me until now." He looked down at his hands. "The Guardians didn't explain that much."

Emma thought. "I think it has something to do with belief. Like, I just learned about Jack Frost. And I believed in him. Then I could see you. But nobody else seems to really believe. But plenty of kids believe in Santa, and the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, right?" She looked at him.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know that they can be seen. By kids, at least."

"Exactly! So your problem is that nobody believes in you yet. Except me." She looked proud. "I'm the first."

He hugged her again. "You're the only one I need."

She beamed. "Give me just a second," she said, running inside the house. When she came back out she was in full winter gear, ready to have fun.

They spent the rest of the day happily. They did everything; they built snowmen, had a snowball fight, went sledding, and sometimes they just talked.

Jack felt better than he had since he had become Jack Frost. It was wonderful to talk to someone again, to feel that real connection. Near sundown they were digging a tunnel through a huge mound of snow Jack had conjured when their mom came out.

"Emma, you've been out here for hours! What-?" She paused as she saw the army of snowmen, the steep, enormous hill Jack had made for sledding, and the elaborate fort he and Emma had built together.

"Oh my goodness," She said in astonishment. "Emma, did you do all this?"

Emma emerged from the shallow cave she and Jack had been digging. "Not all by myself! Jack helped!" She said happily. Then she remembered that her mom could not see him.

"Jack helped you?" Her mom said with a sad smile, obviously thinking that Emma was carried away in her imagination.

Emma ran over to her. Jack followed, skimming over the snow behind her. "Mom, you're never going to believe it! Jack is still alive! Well, sort of. He turned into Jack Frost, and we've been playing all day, and he has magic powers, and I'm the first one who saw him!" Emma said excitedly.

Her mom looked down at her with a pitying smile. "Oh, Emma, I know it's still hard sometimes. But you can't keep pretending that he's here. We both need to move on."

"No, mom, really! He's standing right here!" She pointed to Jack, standing beside her, and looked at her mom with pleading eyes.

Jack sighed. "She's not going to see me, Em." He sat down beside her in the snow, looking sad.

"She has to!" Emma said in desperation.

"Who has to what?" Her mom asked, confused.

Emma looked back at her. "You have to see him! He's been waiting all this time, all alone, and now you won't even admit he's there!" She was almost shouting now, on the verge of tears.

"Emma, I think you've been out in the cold too long." Her mom said gently, though looking concerned. She took Emma's hand and started to tug her towards the house. "Come inside, now."

Emma yanked her hand away. "No! I want to stay with Jack!" She ran back, crouching behind him as though he would protect her.

"Emma, really, that's enough!" her mom said, her voice cracking just a bit. She stepped through Jack and grabbed Emma again, pulling her back towards the door. She held both her hands and knelt down to look straight into her face.

"Sweetie, Jack is gone. You need to accept that. I realize it's been hard, but there's nothing we can do. Now please, come inside where it's warm." She stood up and pulled Emma by one hand back to the house. Emma looked over her shoulder at where Jack was standing, a hand held to his chest where his mother had passed through him.

"Jack!" Emma cried out.

He ran over to her, calling out right before his mother closed the back door. "It's okay, I'm still here. I'll always be here."

Emma nodded as the door closed.


	23. Chapter 23

Jack walked beside Emma on the way to the bus stop the next morning. "You can't force people to see me, Em. I've been trying, but they have to do it on their own."

"I'm not going to stop trying! I can't let you be alone!" She said passionately.

Jack smiled. "I'm not alone anymore, I have you."

"Yeah, but what if…" She trailed off.

"What's up?" he asked, looking at her.

She looked down at her feet, one toe scuffing the sidewalk. "What if I stop believing?" She said quietly.

Jack wasn't sure what to say to that. After a pause, he said, "You won't. You're my sister and my best friend. I know you'd never forget me." But a tiny seed of doubt persisted. What if she did forget him? How could he go back to that loneliness? He shook himself. No use thinking about that. Better to savor this moment, when she did see and love him.

They reached the bus stop at the corner. This stop was the hub of the elementary, middle, and high school bus routes, so there were quite a few kids there. Jack noticed that this included Highland, who was early as always. But for once, he didn't care much. He had Emma now.

They sat together at the edge of the group, continuing to talk. Soon, however, a couple of Emma's friends approached.

"Who are you talking to, Emma?" Claude asked.

"Jack Frost," Emma said coolly. She and Jack had decided to keep it simple if anyone asked questions.

Claude and Caleb both laughed, and Pippa raised her eyebrows skeptically. Jack rolled his eyes and walked away a bit, looking to see if Elsie was at the bus stop yet.

"Jack Frost?" Jamie asked, looking both interested and slightly suspicious.

Emma nodded, seeming not to care about her friends' reactions. "I met him yesterday, but I wouldn't expect you to see him. He's usually invisible."

Her friends continued to tease her about her "imaginary friend", but Jamie was curious. He came to sit by Emma and asked her about Jack.

"Really," Jamie said, "Did you meet him?"

"Yeah," Emma said, excited. "He's actually my brother, but when he died he became magic. He's got white hair and blue eyes now, and you can only see him if you really believe he's real."

"That's what people say about Santa and the Tooth Fairy, but I still haven't seen them. I've tried."

"I think they're more sneaky about it. Jack's not used to being seen, apparently I'm the first one." She looked proud. "So he's not hiding. But everyone knows about Santa and the Tooth Fairy, so they have to be more careful."

Jamie nodded. "That makes sense. Where-?" But Jamie was cut off by Highland, who had come up behind them.

"What were you saying, Emma? You saw Jack again?" he asked, looking imperatively curious.

"Sort of," Emma replied. The elementary bus pulled up and she and Jamie got up, gathering their stuff. "But he's magic now, and you can't see him unless…" Highland didn't catch the rest of her sentence as she was swallowed up by the crowd of kids getting onto the school bus.

Jack soared along beside the bus, hopping on the tops of cars as he sped through traffic. He was level with a window where Emma and Jamie were both looking out, watching him. He was delighted to find that Jamie could see him too, and he entertained them both as he flew just outside the window. He bounced of the roof of another car, covering the top with frost and landing on the roof of the bus. He poked his head down over the window so he was looking at Emma and Jamie upside down. They laughed in delight. He blew on the window, frosting the edges in his favorite swirling pattern, and flipped off of the bus and onto another car. He rode it like a surfboard as it kept pace with the bus, then launched himself into the air when the bus took a turn, spinning in the air. Emma and Jamie clapped and grinned as they watched. Jack continued to accompany them all the way to school.

Meanwhile on the high school bus, Highland was thinking very hard. Emma had claimed to have seen Jack too. Highland was still obsessing over what he now termed his "vision" in the cave. He hadn't heard Emma's entire conversation, but her description of the altered Jack fit, and Highland had never told her what he had seen. Was it possible that some form of Jack was still out there?

Emma would think it magic of course, but Highland thought it more likely that something supernatural was going on. And he knew only one person to consult when it came to the supernatural.


	24. Chapter 24

"Come on, Elsie, you've got to help me on this!" Highland pleaded. They were walking out of third period and were on their way to lunch.

"Fine, I'll come with you, but I still think you're wasting your time," Elsie said disdainfully.

"Thank you," Highland sighed in relief. Instead of getting lunch, Highland went straight to a table in the back of the lunchroom where he knew Tyrone liked to sit. Elsie promised that she would catch up with him after she got something to eat.

Highland approached the table cautiously. Tyrone was there, but so was his twin sister Melanie. She was over-enthusiastic, over peppy, and overbearing. He would prefer to talk to Tyrone without her there. But Tyrone caught his eye and motioned him over.

"Do you need to talk about something?" He asked in a low voice. Highland gulped and nodded.

"Ooh, is it-?" Melanie started, but Tyrone shot her a look. "Not now, Melanie. Go find Candace and Gretchen, we need to talk alone." Melanie looked disappointed, but the twin walked away without argument.

"How did you know?" Highland asked.

"I can see that you're having trouble. And you wouldn't come to me unless it was pretty serious." He tipped up his baseball cap and took a bite of his sandwich. For all the freshman's mystery and mystique, he was a bit awkward. "So what's going on?"

"I- well, I think my dead friend might be haunting me." He hadn't meant to say it so boldly, but he didn't know how else to say it.

"Hmm. Overland? Jackson Overland? Drowned last winter, didn't he?" Tyrone fished in his backpack and pulled out a large, red journal.

Highland was surprised that Tyrone knew that. "Um, yeah. How-?"

"I make it my business to know these things." Tyrone said casually, opening the journal and flipping through it. Highland saw that it was full of drawings and notes on supernatural phenomena. "Tell me what's been going on, exactly."

Highland related the cave incident in which he lost his leg, the mysterious snowball attacks, and Emma's story and description of Jack's 'return'. Halfway through Elsie joined them, and though she helped in telling the details, it was clear she thought this was silly.

Tyrone nodded as Highland came to a close. "Sounds like he's not completely gone. Some part of him has remained in this dimension because of unfinished business."

Elsie snorted in disbelief. Highland glared at her. "So I'm not crazy then? When I saw him in the cave?"

"Of course not," Tyrone said, "But it's highly significant that that's when you saw him. Your mind was very vulnerable at the time. You were barely conscious. Moments like that are when it's easiest to make contact with the hidden world."

"What about Emma? She claims that she can see him at any time." Highland said, starting to get excited.

Tyrone flipped another page in his journal. "Children are usually more susceptible to the hidden world, because their minds aren't fully developed yet. Luckily, the most common things that reside in that world are benign."

Highland nodded, though only half understanding. "So how do I find him, then?"

"Well, if his sister can truly see him, then you can ask for her help." Tyrone said, marking a page in his book. "If that doesn't work, obtain something he owned and bring it to me for a summoning."

"Great!" Highland said, jumping up. "Then I'll report back tomorrow!"

Elsie looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious, Highland?" she almost shouted. "Jack is gone. You can't just go around pretending he's not! You're really going to waste your time on some supernatural summoning?!"

"If he's out there, I'm not going to just stand by!" Highland retorted. "I'm going to find him!" He picked up his bag and marched out of the cafeteria.

Elsie slammed her fist on the table in anger as she watched him retreat.

"You ought to open your mind, Elsie." Tyrone said. She glared at him, furious for raising Highland's hopes with his nonsense. He saw the look in her eye, but went on. "The hidden world exists, and it's closer than you think it is. One day it's going to slap you in the face. I hope you'll be ready for it." He went back to reading his journal.

Elsie got up from the table and stormed out of the cafeteria.


	25. Chapter 25

Highland caught up with Emma after school. She and Jamie were laughing together as they walked home from the bus stop. Highland noticed that Emma seemed much happier than he had seen her since before Jack died.

"Hey, Emma!" he shouted, running after them. "Wait up!" She turned and saw him coming, so she waited until he caught up with them to continue walking.

"What is it, Highland?"

Highland looked a bit uncomfortable, but he said, "Well, when you were talking this morning, about Jack, I mean, well…" He gestured vaguely with his hands, but trailed off.

She looked at him mischievously, and Highland saw clearly her resemblance to her brother. "Do you really want to know?" She asked in a whisper. Highland nodded eagerly. "Then follow me!" She said, starting to run towards her house.

"I'll see you guys later!" Jamie said, turning down a side street.

"Bye!" Emma waved at him, but didn't slow as she rounded the corner to her house and sprinted into the backyard.

Highland followed her, breathing heavily. They ran a ways into the woods behind the house, then Emma stopped abruptly. She giggled. "He's excited for you to see," she said to Highland. She paused for a moment, looking up and to her left, and then said "Oh, yeah. Fine, I'll start from the beginning."

Highland stared at her. She giggled again and said, "You've heard of Jack Frost, right?"

Highland felt a little let down. "Jack Frost?" he asked in a disappointed voice. "Of course I have. But what's that got to do with-?" A large powdery snowball hit the side of his head. "Hey!" he shouted.

"Jack!" Emma said indignantly, "At least give him a chance!"

Another snowball hit Highland's shoulder. "Really? Again?" Highland said, spinning around to see who had thrown it.

No one was there.

"Jack!" Emma said again, running over to the area the snowball had come from. "Let me explain it! You can't just keep-!"

Then everything clicked. Highland staggered. Jack Frost. The snowstorms, the snowballs, the cave… The white hair, the blue eyes. _He's magic now_ , Emma had said.

Blinded by realization, Highland fell backwards, landing on his butt in the snow. He looked up when he heard a familiar voice laughing at him.

Jack stood next to Emma, leaning on his staff and laughing at Highland. He might have thought he had gone back in time if Jack's hair weren't so white.

"JACK!" Highland shouted, jumping to his feet and tackling him. The two tumbled into the snow. "Oh my gosh, Jack, you're here!" Highland shouted, and he felt his eyes prickling with tears. He sat up, pinning Jack to the ground with his knees.

Jack looked up at him in absolute shock. "Nice to see you too, man." He said, laughing again. "Took you long enough." Jack wrestled Highland off of him and they both stood up, breathless from laughing so hard.

Highland insisted that Jack tell him everything. Emma went inside, deciding to leave them alone and go get warm, but the two friends stayed out talking in the backyard.

"So now you're Jack Frost, the spirit of winter?" Highland asked, still trying to wrap his head around it.

"Yeah. Or at least, that's what the Moon said." Jack said, shrugging. "I'm still not exactly sure how it works."

Highland looked puzzled. "Then who was Jack Frost before you? There has to have been one. The stories have been around for years."

Jack stared up into the cloudy sky. "I don't think there was one. I think the Moon planted stories in the human subconscious after I turned into Jack Frost, so it seems like the stories have been around throughout time when really they were created around me."

Highland shook his head. "You're bending my brain, man."

Jack laughed. "I don't know. That's just my theory."

"And what was up with the snowball attacks?" Highland said, trying to look angry but laughing at the same time.

Jack grinned. "I couldn't think of any other way to get your attention. And it worked in the end, didn't it?" He smirked at Highland, who shoved him playfully.

"Show me what else you can do, besides withstand the cold and make it snow." Highland said. "You've got to have some cooler powers than that."

"You bet I do!" Jack said, jumping to his feet and taking off into the sky.

"Woah," Highland said, watching Jack rocket above the trees. He went high enough that Highland could barely see him before coming back down.

"How's that for impressive?" Jack said smugly.

Highland gaped. "Pretty freaking cool, actually."

"And watch this," Jack soared up to Emma's bedroom window and tapped it with his staff. An intricate pattern of frost spread across it.

"Is that it?" Highland asked teasingly.

Jack shot him a look and began to draw in the frost he had just made on the window. He pulled a tiny dragon made out of ice from the frost, and it soared towards Highland. It was delicate and crystalline like glass, but supported itself on its own study little wings.

Jack landed beside Highland, who was staring at the creature open-mouthed.

"That's a new one," Jack said proudly, crossing his arms.

"Since when are you an artist?" Highland asked, half mocking.

Jack laughed. "Shut your mouth or I'll freeze it for you." The dragon exploded into a tiny flurry that swirled around them, and Highland grinned again.


	26. Chapter 26

They continued to talk for hours.

Highland wanted to know every detail of Jack's life since he'd turned into Jack Frost, and Jack was happy to oblige.

After Jack had told all he could, the two friends fell silent. Then Highland brought up the question he'd been dwelling on since he saw Jack again.

"You saved me," Highland said softly. "Last year, when I got stuck in that cave. I saw you before I blacked out."

Jack looked at him. "Well, I couldn't leave you there to freeze, could I?" he smiled, but there was something tight in his expression.

"Do you know how I got trapped in there in the first place? How did you know I was there?" He said. "I mean, that snowstorm came on so fast…" he trailed off, a look of realization dawning on his face. "Wait a minute, a huge snowstorm? That was you, wasn't it?" Highland looked at Jack. Now his face was changing to a mixture of shock and horror. "You trapped me there in the first place! There is no way a storm like that would have been natural."

Jack was looking at him, his face pleading that Highland would not go on, would not come to the conclusion Jack knew he was forming.

Highland's voice rose. "That was your fault! I was stuck in that stupid, freezing cave because of you! It's your fault that _this_ happened!" He stuck out his prosthetic leg, which admittedly Jack had not thought about in a while.

"I didn't do it on purpose! And besides, I saved you from that cave! I tried to fix it!"

"You could have killed me, Jack! I don't freaking care if you rescued me from your own mistake, I still have to live with the consequences!" He pointed at his leg. "I'm going to have to live with this thing for the rest of my life!"

Jack tried to smile. "Well, it looks pretty cool. All steampunk-like. You designed it yourself, didn't you? At least-"

"That doesn't make it any better!" Highland shouted. He had gotten to his feet now and was pointing accusingly at Jack. "I can't believe this! You crippled me, you messed me up! That was under your control!"

"I didn't know how my powers worked back then!" Jack said, getting to his feet as well. His voice was rising in anger at the injustice of Highland's words. "I'm sorry about your leg, okay? But I promise I would never hurt you or anyone else on purpose! You know me better than that!"

Highland scoffed. "I thought I did. I don't know, when you got your stupid powers maybe you changed."

Jack was furious at this. "Highland, you're my best friend! I tried to save you!"

Highland turned his back. "If you want me to be safe, maybe you should just leave."

Jack was outraged. Snow began to fall quick and thick in his temper. He looked up, startled. He had to get his feelings under control.

Highland started to walk away. Jack thought about running after him and making him listen, but a sudden heavy coldness took over him and he turned away.

He just had to calm down. Both of them did. Highland would come around. Jack glanced at him. He had reached the edge of the woods and was walking towards his house. Jack flew to the top of his tree at the edge of the backyard and watched him go home. _We both just need some time_ , he thought.

Still, if this was how Highland was going to act on the first day he saw Jack again, Jack wasn't very optimistic about the future.


	27. Chapter 27

The next morning, Jack and Emma met Highland on the way to the bus stop.

"Hey," Highland said, looking at Jack nervously. "I'm, um, I'm sorry about last night. It was just… with finding out you're still here and all this other stuff, I… my feelings were just running a bit high." He glanced down, afraid that Jack was still mad at him.

Jack chuckled. "It's okay, man. I get it. I would have been mad too." He put a hand on Highland's shoulder. "I really didn't mean it, and I did try to save you. I'm sorry that it happened."

Highland took a deep breath. "It's alright. I'm mostly used to it now. It's not actually that bad."

Emma beamed as she watched the boys reconcile. Jamie came over to her, looking confused.

"Who's he talking to?" He asked, pointing at Highland.

"Jack," Emma said, before she realized that Jamie couldn't see him.

Jamie looked confused. "Jack who? I know he was friends with your brother, but…"

Emma wondered if she should tell Jamie about Jack. Finally, she said, "I meant Jack Frost. You know, the spirit of winter?"

Jamie looked at her skeptically. "He's talking to _that_ Jack Frost?" he asked, a note of laughter in his voice.

Emma nodded earnestly. "He's real, Jamie! Except you can only see him if you believe he's there. But he really is, I promise!"

"Really?" Jamie asked, his eyes widening. "I knew they were real! He's there right now?" He looked over to where Highland stood, still talking to… A boy. A white haired boy in a blue sweatshirt! Emma had been right! "Jack Frost!" Jamie exclaimed.

Jack looked over just in time to see Jamie run up to him. "Wow, you're real? You're right here! This is amazing!" Jamie looked up into Jack's face. "You look just like Emma's brother…" he said, a bit confused.

"I am Emma's brother," Jack said, smiling.

Jamie's eyes widened. "Really? How?"

So Jack explained yet again about the Moon, and how he was saved. Jack was delighted. That was three people in only a few days! How could he ever have been without them? He stayed with Emma and Jamie all day, making frost designs on the window of their classroom and occasionally flying to the high school to tease Highland.

After school, the three of them met in the woods behind Jack and Emma's house.

"Don't worry Emma, you're safe this time." Jack said, pulling her onto a sheet of ice.

"But Jack! This is how-!"

"I know," he cut her off, "but I'm magic now, remember? I can fly, and I made the ice extra strong. Nobody is going to fall in, I promise."

Emma had been too traumatized to try to ice skate again after last winter. But Jack, who loved ice skating more than almost any other winter activity, was determined that she learn. Jack pulled her onto the reinforced ice, making sure to keep it solidly frozen beneath them. He wouldn't allow one crack to mark the surface of this lake.

Emma clung to him tightly, sliding on her skates. He gently pushed her forward, egging her on. "Okay, now push with your right foot. Now push with your left, like you're taking a step. Yes, that's it!" He let go of her as she glided across the ice, smiling. "Good job! You're a natural, Emma!"

She laughed nervously. "I think I've got it! I-" then she wobbled, flailing her arms wildly. "Woah!" Jack rushed over and caught her a second before she hit the ice.

"It's alright, you can't be perfect your first time," Jack said, helping her up. "Keep going!"

Highland smiled happily as he watched Jack and Emma. He never thought he'd see her so cheerful again.

Jamie suddenly started. "Wait, what time is it?" He asked Highland.

Highland checked his phone. "It's 4:42," He said. "Why?"

"Oh, no, I was supposed to be home by 4:30! My mom's gonna kill me!" Jamie said, eyes wide. He ran over to the side of the frozen lake to say goodbye to Jack and Emma.

Highland looked down at his phone. He got the feeling he was forgetting something important, what was it…?

A text from Elsie popped up. _We need to talk._

Elsie! Of course! He couldn't leave her out of this! She missed Jack more than she would admit, but if Highland could make her see him then maybe everything would be okay again.

 _Yes we do. Meet me in the woods behind Jack's house ASAP._ He texted her back as quickly as he could and sighed with apprehension and excitement. Things were finally going to be back to normal. Mostly.


	28. Chapter 28

Elsie rolled her eyes when she got Highland's text. Was he still convinced that Jack was haunting him? She decided she'd go, but if Tyrone was there to perform a "summoning" she was going straight back home.

She arrived in the woods less than ten minutes later. To her surprise, Emma was there too. They were both waiting for her, grinning madly and giggling. They were sitting next to each other on top of the snow. As Elsie approached, Emma fell over into Highland's lap with a little "Hey!" and a glance to her other side.

They both laughed, looking in the same direction, but not looking at anything in particular. Elsie looked at them in confusion.

Highland took a deep breath as Emma sat back up. He stood and approached Elsie, who was waiting a few feet away with her arms crossed.

"What's this all about, Highland?" she asked in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

Highland looked her straight in the eyes. "Elsie, you're going to have to trust me, okay? I know it's going to be hard, but you have to have faith in what I'm about to say. Just imagine…" He paused.

Elsie was looking at him with a mixture of apprehension and exasperation. "I think I know what you're going to say, Highland."

"Just give me a chance, please. Just… give him a chance."

Emma was standing back from the two of them, apparently holding on to something, but Elsie wasn't paying enough attention to see what it was.

Elsie sighed. "Fine. What's so important?"

Highland took her hand and pulled her a bit closer. "Close your eyes," he said. "And just imagine something for a moment. Forget everything else, and just think about what I'm saying."

Elsie closed her eyes obediently. She focused on the feel of Highland's hand in hers, her one last friend in the world holding on to her.

"Elsie…" Highland looked at her hesitantly, trying to keep his voice steady. He couldn't get too excited too quickly, or she might not believe. He had to be gentle. She had already suffered so much, he had to be sure not to hurt her again.

"You've heard of the stories of Jack Frost, right?" Highland began. Elsie nodded, but the corners of her eyes tightened slightly. Highland breathed deeply again. "Did you ever picture him? I always thought of our Jack when I thought of him, except with white hair and blue eyes. With his old blue sweatshirt and everything. Bare feet, running through the snow." He laughed a little. "Sometimes, I even thought I could see him."

"What's this about, Highland?" Elsie asked, her grip tightening.

"Just hear me out," Highland said. "What if he was really there? What if we believed so much that he appeared in front of us? What if-?"

Elsie's eyes fluttered open, and Highland could see the beginnings of tears. "Highland, I miss him too, but you can't just pretend he's not gone. And what does Jack Frost have to do with it?"

"He's him, Elsie," Highland said, a note of excitement creeping into his voice now. "I mean, he's Jack Frost. Jack, when he died, he turned into Jack Frost. He's still alive! Well, sort of. You can see him if you believe he's there."

Elsie laughed bitterly, pulling her hand away. "Maybe you can see him in your mind, Highland, but it's no good trying to pretend he's ever going to talk to you again. He's gone."

"No, Elsie! He's here! He's here right now! All the snowballs, the crazy stuff that's been happening- you can't just ignore it all!"

"None of that proves anything! You can't-!"

"Elsie, will you just listen to me? You have to believe, you have to have faith! You can't keep living your life like this-!" Highland was getting angry now, tears starting to well in his own eyes.

"Like what? Since when do you tell me how to live my life?"

"You can't believe in anything you don't see! Why can't you just try?"

"Because I know nothing will happen! Whatever you say, you can't bring him back!" Tears were streaming down Elsie's face now.

"I don't have to bring him back! He's standing right next to you!"

"Highland, open your eyes!" She almost screamed, actually stomping her foot into the snow. "He's gone!"

Emma ran up to Elsie, unable to stay back any longer. "Elsie, please! Please, he wants you to see him so badly!"

Elsie laughed wildly through her tears, looking at Highland. "You might be able to convince a kid, but why bother trying to lie to me? It won't help!"

"Elsie-" Highland started, but she interrupted him.

"No matter how much you want it to be otherwise, you can't change what happened, Highland. He's gone."

"He's not-"

"Would you just let it go and grow up already?" She shouted.

"But-"

"HE'S DEAD, HIGHLAND! HE'S DEAD, AND HE'S NEVER COMING BACK!" She turned on her heel and ran out of the woods, putting as much space between her and those painful memories as she could.

* * *

The trio watched Elsie leave, their hearts sinking. Jack had known it was a long shot. Elsie had always been a realist. Still, he had hoped that she might want to see him enough to believe.

Highland was furious. After everything that had happened, she still wouldn't see! Why was she so stubborn?

Emma sat down on the ground and cried. "I- I'm sorry, J-Jack," she stammered through her tears.

Jack crouched down next to her. "Don't cry, Em, it's not your fault." He hugged her.

"But if I had said something earlier-" Emma began, but Jack cut her off.

"It wouldn't have made a difference. She's just stubborn. I'll figure something out," Jack said, tipping Emma's chin up so she was looking at him. "Just give me some time."

Highland sat down too, burying his head in his hands. "Why can't she just-?"

"She's still torn up about me being gone, I think." Jack said thoughtfully. "She doesn't want to hope and be let down."

The three of them huddled on the ground together in a group hug. Jack looked up at Elsie's barely visible retreating back, and an idea started to form.


	29. Chapter 29

A few weeks later, Elsie was sleeping in her bed beside the window. She was staying home from school on this particularly chilly winter's' day because she had a cold. Jack watched from outside the window as she stirred in her sleep, wondering if his plan would work. He sat on the ledge just outside her window, looking over the fresh blanket of snow covering Elsie's backyard. It was sparkling like diamonds under the sun, even though it was overcast. Everything was perfect.

He turned back to the just-open window in time to see her stretch and yawn. She shivered a bit as she walked to her closet and pulled out a light blue long-sleeved sweater. She was heading back to bed to snuggle under her covers.

"Hey," Jack said.

Elsie's head turned. "Jack?" She rubbed her eye sleepily. "What are you doing here?"

Jack beamed at her. "Just checking up on you. How've you been?"

"I-" she stopped. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "J-Jack? Is that you?"

Jack opened the window and jumped inside. "Last I checked," he said, smiling. The plan was working!

Jack had gotten the idea from thinking about when Highland saw him in the cave. When his mind was vulnerable. So he had asked Sandy to send Elsie a particular dream on that day, to see if he could push her in the right direction.

And it had worked.

"But… are you real?" Elsie asked, taking a step towards him.

He leaned toward her. "I'm as real as you want me to be."

She reached up, touching his face gently. He caught her hand and held it to his cheek firmly.

"You're so cold…" Elsie said, breathless.

Jack chuckled. "Kinda happens when you're the spirit of winter,"

"But- how-?"

"Never mind how. All that matters is what's happening right now." Jack said. He stepped towards the open window, still holding her hand. "Come on, I want to show you something."

He stepped onto her windowsill and held out his other hand. "You ready?"

"For what?" She asked, taking it. Despite the strangeness of the situation, she trusted him completely. She wasn't sure if this was even real, but right now, she didn't care.

"You'll see," The window was fairly large, but Jack still had to duck his head to get out onto the ledge.

"Jack, what are you-?"

"Just trust me," he said, gently pulling her through the window. He picked her up bridal-style in his arms, his staff slung over his back with a rope. Then, without warning, he leaped into the sky.

When Elsie awoke in her bed, she jolted up. The window was open slightly. She shivered and moved to close it. As she did, she saw a small patch of frost on the outside of the window. It was shaped like a heart.

She stepped back. Jack… had it all been a dream? It had felt so real- the rushing of the cold wind, the thrill of flying, Jack's kiss….

No. It couldn't have been real. She must be imagining things. But all the same, that little heart of frost on her window…. She shook her head, dismissing the crazy fever dream, and shut the window.


	30. Chapter 30

Jack spent the rest of the winter playing with Emma and Highland, and sometimes Jamie would come too. One day with Elsie was enough for him. As he spent his days laughing and skating and throwing snowballs, he was content. What more could he ask for, really, than his best friend and his sister?


	31. Epilogue

Elsie was walking home on a cold night. It had been a long day at work. Well, being one of the world's foremost fashion designers had never been easy. As she passed through the city streets she felt acutely alone, despite the crowds of people around her.

She turned up her coat collar against the wind as it began to snow. She looked up into the grayish sky, watching the flakes spiral down. They caught the light from the streetlamps as they fell. It reminded her of the dream she had had in her youth. The one where her magical friend Jack Frost had made it snow just for her. She hadn't thought about that precious dream in a long time, but she had never forgotten it.

She shook her head. She had to get home; there was no point in thinking about past dreams. She thought maybe she would call her sister tonight, she hadn't talked to her for a while. She hadn't really talked to anyone in a while.

* * *

Highland watched his son through the window of their little home. He was leaning on the countertop, his eyes crinkled with a smile. The boy was playing in the snow, the way Highland always loved to. He thought about when he was younger, and he would go on adventures with his best friend Jack.

Highland wasn't sure at what point his memories turned to fantasies. He missed his friend Jack Overland every day. Still, he had told the stories of Jack Frost to his son every winter's night since he was born, including some of their own adventures. Whether real or imagined, it filled his heart to see the look on his boy's face when he described their antics.

He looked back out the window, and for just a moment, he thought he saw a boy with white hair and a blue sweatshirt playing with his son. But he blinked, and Jack was gone.

* * *

Emma lay on the hospital bed. She had been visited today by her children and her grandchildren, but she had requested to be left alone in her last moments.

"Will you leave the window open, nurse?" she asked slowly.

"Of course," the nurse said. "Are you sure you don't want anyone in here with you?"

"I'm sure."

After the nurse had closed the door, Emma called out. "You can come in now, Jack."

She watched as her brother climbed through the window. He came over to stand beside her, taking her wrinkly hand.

Emma looked into her older brother's face, which hadn't aged a day past seventeen. She laughed a little.

"You look so young," she said, coughing.

"Don't strain yourself, Em." Jack said, smiling even though his eyes were filling.

"Don't worry," she paused, then said, "I never forgot you, Jack. Not once in my whole life. Even in the darkest moments, I knew you were there."

Jack smiled sadly. "I'll always be here, Emma."

She coughed again. "Thank you, Jack. Thank you for making my life a little more fun. Thank you for being there."

Jack tried to blink back his tears. He squeezed her hand gently.

"I love you, Jack." Emma said, her eyes fluttering.

"I love you too, Emma." He flung his arms around her, hugging her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

She hugged him back, her weak arms encircling him. As they let go of each other, Emma sat back on her pillows. "Goodbye, Jack."

"Bye, Emma." Jack said, and before the tears could freeze on his face, he had soared back into the winter sky.


End file.
